Under the Cherry Blossoms (I Fall Apart)
by MidnightStarHunter
Summary: He had saved two worlds, restored the balance between Yo-kai and Humans, banished the evil spirits back to where they came from. But it came with a price. He paid the price, he was a hero! Then why did he feel so cold, so utterly... alone? (You can't go, I'm not ready!) (I just want my friends back) Image cover not mine
1. And The World Keeps Turning

**Hi everyone! MidnightStarHunter here. Okay, first things first.**

 **I really want to thank Evans L. Phantom for following my other story, Not So Average. I'm new at writing, so thanks a ton for following it. I must warn you though, I don't have a concrete ending planned for it. As I said, inspiration struck, and until it strikes again, the updates will be irregular at best. I WON'T discontinue it, I hate when that happens, but I'm super busy with exams and I don't quite like the second chapter that I have started.**

 **And to Plus, I'm sorry for not answering your review ^^'. For some reason, I recieved the notification telling me you reviewed my story, but the review itself didn't appear. Yes, you can use the Jibanyan scene, and as long as you don't copy it word for word I won't be angry. Best of luck for your future story! I recomend reading a ton of books in English to improve your vocabulary. It worked for me ^^**

 **And from this point onwards** :

 **SPOILER WARNING. IF YOU DON'T HAVE YO-KAI WATCH (FIRST GAME) OR HAVEN'T FINISHED IT, THIS WILL SPOIL YOU SOMEWHAT THE ENDING.**

 **If you still keep on reading, I warned you, 'kay?**

 **Now, onto the actual story notes.**

 **For this story, I wrote it once I reached the part in the game in which you were told that, in making the cherry trees bloom and strengthening the seal, every single Yo-Kai would be returned to their world, No Exceptions. It sparked a story, and I wrote it before reaching the final battle with McKrakken. When I finally ended it, I had to basically rewrite it, since after it all it was _still_ summer, and my idea included their school. (The way Nate and Whisper acknowledged the plot hole was hilarious, by the way XD) This is the end result. I really like how it turned out, but there may be _some_ inconstistencies I missed that were part of the previous version. Sorry 'bout that** **:P**

 **PS. It was Venoct who told Nate about the not- _quite_ -closed portal based on his confrontation with you on Yo-kai World, when he tells you "the truth".**

 **I won't bore you anymore with my rambling. On with the chapter!**

* * *

At first, it was _(not really)_ okay.

Venoct said that even when the seal was at full power, it would take a little while for the portal between both worlds to close completely. After all, it had been running for Enma-knows-how-many years. The seal should be strong enough to keep any evil (or not- _don't think about it_ -) Yo-kai out even with the portal still partly open. So there was no need to worry.

Nate worried anyways. ( _It felt wrong wrong_ wrong-)

It was weird, the last two months of summer having been around and with supernatural entities, only for things to suddenly... _snap_ back to normal again _(but it wasn't_ normal _anymore_ ). No more alleyways with Yo-kai that pop out at every corner. No more trips to the Yo-kai World. No more odd mood changes when a person was inspirited or sneaking out at night to explore the city with his Yo-kai friends.

No more Whisper to complain about how messy his room was. ( _Even though he had turned the room upside down just trying to hear him shout-)_

No more Jibanyan who took naps on his carpet whith a half-eaten choco-bar in his paw. ( _He bought a big stash with his own money and put it in his drawer. He kept checking if the chocolate dissapeared, but it_ _never did-)_

Nate absolutely _hated_ it.

No more Hidabat who's soft click of paws in the keyboard lulled him to sleep every night.

No more Venoct ocassionally popping up to ask questions about Mighty Dog's whereabouts. (And even though every time their answer was _no idea_ he kept showing up-)

No more receiving letters from Komasan about his adventures in the big city with his little brother.

No more Kyubi to argue about how he could get his last Kyun Orb from another girl that wasn't _Katie_ -

It had been a month.

Nate tried his hardest to stay cheerful and _move on (they would meet again, he_ promised-). But it was difficult when every time his attention wondered -summer work is _awful_ \- he abstentmindedly doodled Yo-kai in the margins of his notebook _(he gave up and just bought a sketchbook_ ). When he kept going home through back alleys, subconciously trying to catch a glimpse of even Suspicioni or Cheeksqueek.

Because every time someone sneaked up on him (very few people-living with ghosts who can literally _faze_ through walls does wonders for your stealth detector) or felt threatened his hand immediately went to the medals in his pocket (pretty much useless now, except he still _couldn't_ make himself leave them at home, when they were the only indication that it hadn't all been a _dream-_ )

Because when he got nervous his hand abstentmindedly rubbed his _empty_ wrist _(wrongwrongwrong-)_ Because he turned around to comment something to Whisper and Jibanyan and he met only air. (And then it hit him all over again that they were _gone_ , gone as _never ever coming_ back-)

 _(They promised. They promised_ )

He felt like a piece of him that he didn't even know was missing was _finally_ in place, only for the puzzle to be _torn_ apart _again_ barely two months later and leaving him very aware of the _gaping_ hole in himself.

 _(Missing. Missing, I_ _need to_ find them-)

It all came to a head the next day.

Nate was walking under the cherry trees (which he had to make bloom to save Springdale. He couldn't stomach even _looking_ at a cherry since then without throwing up) when a click resounded in his ears. He stopped, suddenly aware that he was all alone. The Watch Wielder was for once grateful that summer had already ended and he was busy with classes, _(if there is a teacher shouting at him to pay attention he isn't thinking about his_ -empty- _wrist and_ -useless- _medals-_ ) but today it had taken him a bit longer than normal to clean up his part of the class. _Then_ he had to go to the toilet. (fortunately, this was only a number one. A number two would be just _embarrasing_ ). All his friends ( _human_ friends, which he had known for a lot longer, but it wasn't the same the hole was _still_ _there_ -) were busy, and he hadn't brought his bike, so he was left to leg it home on his own. He squinted in front of him, where he could swear he saw the air _shimmer_ -

The world suddenly seemed a bit- _lackluster_ , as if the little something that made it special was no longer _there_. And then an aching _hollowness_ spread in his chest, piercing his heart.

This wasn't anything new. His heart had been feeling a little hollow ever since he said goodbye to all his supernatural friends, but this was different. It was a hollowness that _teared_ at his heart and _broke_ it into a thousand sharp little shards, which then stabbed down and _down_ again inside his chest, and again, and _again_ and it _hurts_ please make it _s_ _top_ -

 _(Everything's wrongwrongwrong-!)_

He had just enough presence of mind to drag himself over behind the nearest cherry tree, his chest an inferno of searing white-hot _blinding_ _pain_ -

( _No._ Please!)

He leaned against the trunk, not noticing his bag digging against his back as he desesperaly tried to muffle his gasps on the sleeve of the hoodie he had brought today. Nate scrambled to put together _what_ had happened and _why_ did he feel so- _so-_

 _(It feels..._ empty)

And then he _realised_.

The part of his mind which hummed with warmth ever since he made his first Yo-kai friend and got his first medal ( _Jiban-!_ ) was no longer. Now it was _not there_ , just as it had been for his ten years of life _(but not for the past two_ months _-)_ , and he had never before felt so utterly _alone_. The missing warmth was replaced by an icy coldness that descended in layers over him, sinking into his very _bones_ and making his teeth chatter even though the warm summer breeze was still clinging to the air.

 _(Please come back. Come back.)_

That's when he knew, the portal had finally closed completely down.

Salty drops ran down rosy cheeks, mixing with soft earth and decaying pink blossoms. His unheard wail was echoed by spectral voices which shuddered from the same sense of _loss_ -

( _I don't want to move on. I just want them to_ _be_ back)

* * *

A kid with brown hair and brown eyes fell asleep under the old tree, fists clenched and cheeks stained, bag digging into his back, a look of pure _agony_ etched into his features.

But then his brow relaxed, his face smoothed out, his fists unclenched. A small smile worked its way onto his lips just as a cold gale of wind brought down a new shower of pink petals. When it receded, there was only a dark blue backpack where a boy once lay.

It went unnoticed. The only witnesses were the softly falling cherry blossoms, continuing their impassive descent towards the earth.

* * *

 ** **CLIFFHANGER! Yes, I'm horrible. XD****

 **Good news? I have a defined ending for this, and I loved the little animation in which Nate confirms that befriending Yo-kai is his new normal. But there's obviously quite a bit of time from here to there, so I'm not gonna talk about that.**

 **I wanted to say sorry, once again, if there are any inconsistencies. I watched the anime in English, so I know I got the names right, but I played the game in Spanish, so that's that.**

 **And, this is also an AU. Similarly to Not So Average, my other story, which was anime with elements from the game thrown in to spice it up a bit, this is mainly game, with elements from the anime in it. But the anime references thrown in here are a LOT more. To make things clear, Yo-kai types won't be like the game. Each Yo-kai is unique, and have the backstory from the anime (like Abuzampa waiting for his grandaughter and Venoct wanting to avenge his village). There are the odd exceptions, like the Noko which are a race instead of a single Yo-kai, and the little guys which take care of homes. I don't know their name, if anyone can find it it would be much appreciated**.

 **Nate is still called average, Jibanyan still lives with Nate, Whisper still uses his Yo-kai Pad for everything, Hidabat is still inside the closet being a shut-in, and I haven't seen Venoct defeat Mighty Dog, so he's still looking, and uses the excuse of scouting for information to hang out with Jibanyan and get to know Nate. I have seen further episodes in which Nate calls in Kyubi for help, so I put in here that they argue about the kitsune seeing Katie as a trophy quite often. And since I don't remember Nate being surprised when Komasan introduced Komajiro, I put in that he writes letters to the Watch Wielder. Jibanyan is still the first Yo-kai he befriended, and the nameless Yo-kai you befriend in the game each have their moment to shine. But it would be really messy to interwine the game's summer with the anime's school, so I'll leave it to your imaginations. Maybe in the far future...^^'**

 **I** **n this, when the Yo-kai come back Nate is already in school, instead of it _still_ being summer. This is so introducing aspects from the anime will be easier, and because I would like to write how Nate would juggle pretending to be a normal kid for his parents and friends and then being recognized as a hero and someone special in the Yo-kai world.** **I bet the sudden transition from "average" to hero would confuse the heck out of the poor kid.**

 **And I'm ditching the whole "Faust is King Enma's son" thing. Scraping it. Setting it on fire, throwing it to the air and watching the sparkly fireworks. You literally talk with the guy _one time_ , and suddenly it's all " _he is the only hope"_ and " _McKrakken can't find him?"_ NO. The only thing he was good for was restoring the elevator, and I can substitute that easily. And McKrakken seemed a lot more interested in fighting Nate than finding some kid which hadn't done absolutely _anything_ remarkable.**

 **I'm too lazy to write everything down again. I'll just say that every headcanon I metioned in Not So Average also applies here, with the Energy Cores and the Medium. If you want to check it out, it's on the author notes at the bottom in my other story. Yay for blatant advertising! ^^'**

 **And about Nate vanishing, don't worry! He's okay. See how he smiled? He's still alive, but he won't be back for a chapter or two at most. Maybe. But his parents and friends are going to freak out when they can't find him, and once he reappears he will be under heavy scrutinity for the rest of the week, which will in turn make hiding his invisible pals even harder... Ah, I can already picture Nate stammering out excuse after excuse...XD**

 **And about the brackets, obviously Nate's thoughts and feelings. Sorry if he is too out-of-character, but it will all be explained in future chapters. And I can't believe a ten-year-old (even if it is _Nate_ , 'nough said XD) could let his best friends go and be okay right after. Nate is just a bit worse than most in moving on, as he doesn't want to in the first place, and the second reason will be explained in future chapters. Sorry! Want to know more, stay tuned. :P**

 **...I'm pretty sure I wanted to write down something else, but I forgot what. Welp.**

 **Thaks for reading me ramble ^^'. MidightStarHunter, out!**


	2. Those Who Were Left

**Hi everyone, MidnightStarHunter here!**

 **Um, hi?**

 **I'm SO SORRY for taking so long to update. I have no excuse except to promise **that next I'll try for the next chapter not to take so darning long to come out. What I can assure you is that chapter 3 is partially written, so, at least you have that.****

 **Now, before I get onto the reviews, I wanted to ask something.**

 **I have tried to write a second chapter to Not So Average, my other story, but I really didn't like how it turned out. I'm not quitting, but I would like to know if you, as readers, would like it if I turned it onto a one-shot collection of vaguely related happenings in that same AU. For example, a one-shot about how Nate spends his time in the Yo-kai world at night, about his friends realising that it had been some time since they hung out outside of school, about how Nat **e goes around town helping others and how he deals with being seen as one of the lot. Review your opinions in Not So Average, my ears are open!****

 **That said, onward to the reviews!**

 **MagnusAmbassadorSt : The best? Oh, shucks, you're making me blush! Thanks for spelling out for me how the royal family is related to each other, but in this AU Faust is just a normal boy with no Yo-kai parentage whatsoever. Now you'll wander, then how did Nate get into the elevator? Heh... you'll have to keep reading to find out! ;P And yup, Spanish is indeed my first language.**

 **Dia2007: Thank you so much!**

 **Dimension Cupid: I forgive you. Just please stop and think about how the author may take it when you post a review that only says how horrible their story/plot/idea is. I appreciate encouragement and constructive criticism, but if you are only here to make people feel bad about themselves nobody is obligating you to read this story. And from now on, please read my notes? Because I actually mentioned there that Nate was not dead.**

 **Neolight: Thank you! I have a shaky idea of marking this as complete when the Yo-kai make it back to the human world in front of Nate, or maybe after a couple of chapters about how Whisper and Jibanyan find out just how badly affected Nate was by the abrupt separation. We'll see.**

 **Miau: Pues sí. Lo de emparejar a Nate con Katie está súper repetido, entonces me dije a mí misma "Pues voy a hacer algo al respecto!" Y... este es el resultado. ^^' Y no me creo que después de Nate descubra un nuevo mundo debajo de sus narices y esté todo el rato alrededor the espíritus no haya cambiado absolutamente nada. Como mínimo, muchas de las historias que sus amigos le cuentan sobre cuando estaban vivos le habrá dejado al menos mucho más consciente de su mortalidad. Si no has jugado el juego, siento decirte que vas a ser poseído por Spoilerina muy pronto. :P Y lo de la serie es simplemente ridículo, no podría ser más obvio que lo supernatural existe si les diese una torta en la cara, y aun así es Nate siempre quien acaba llevándose la culpa o acabando en el lado erróneo de la travesura de algún Yo-kai. No te preocupes, en este AU Nate será mucho más sutil. Muchas gracias por tu apoyo, y sí, se quién es Idaho. Maku es el americano con el pelo rojo, no?**

 **It's My Opinion: Don't worry, I don't think it was rude. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and I thank you for pointing my confusion with the genres. I'm glad you like my story so far, and yeah, the ending was beautiful. I actualling whooped aloud when the Yo-kai came back to the picture, but I haven't gotten the second game yet, so I can't compare the endings. I'll take your word for it.**

 **Nyanlight: Welp, here is the update. :P**

 **I swear I'm not trying to up the word count, but somehow my authors notes always end up nearly doubling it's length. I'll try to curtain it in the future, sorry.**

 **Anyways, enough is enough. On with the chapter!**

* * *

At first, nobody noticed when the portal finally closed completely. To be fair, the Yo-Kai directly involved with the whole McKrakken incident had been incredibly busy ever since they said goodbye to Nate. They had to round up the huge number of white Yo-Kai that had turned tail as soon as the overgrown squid was defeated, and the Yo-Kai who weren't involved directly didn't even know that the portal was closing in the first place, content to demand answers from those who did know and taking up everybody's attention. _(And making sure that everyone knew that Yo-Kai could uselessly mill around just as effectively as humans. Go figure.)_ The only ones keeping an eye on the portal were Venoct and Kyubi, and both were arguably the busiest, being the battle de-facto leaders of the White Extraction and checking the headcounts to ensure every Yo-Kai had arrived back from the Human Realm safely. Even Whisper, who wasn't a battler, and Jibanyan, who usually just lazed around and napped when there weren't any nearby trucks to fight had found themselves up to their necks (or where they were supposed to have necks. Yo-Kai biology is _weird_ ) in work, making sure every effort was put towards getting their world in order once again. _(And if it was so they could get to work on opening the portal between worlds as soon as possible, well, no one had to know.)_

And if someone accused them that the only reason they put so much energy into their world's rehabilitation was so that they wouldn't have to think about the emptiness in their cores? Stuff and nonsense, of course. They were perfectly fine without humans before. Just because they befriended Nate for a couple of months it didn't mean that they felt his absence keenly like a fresh wound that never quite healed.

Of course. Not at all.

 _("Liar, liar, pants on fire, hang them on a telephone wire-!")_

Anyway.

It didn't quite hit them how far McKrakken's world-conquering ideologies had reached until they were hunting all over their world for his little white nuisances, Whisper mused as he hovered a safe distance behind a battling Venoct, recording on his Yo-Kai Pad another three white Yo-Kai captured and to be put into prison and rehabilitation. It was a wonder how they were able to keep their plan secret for so long when they had so many Yo-Kai reported as missing in their cause. Venoct wrapped up the battle (well, less of a battle and more of a beat-down, actually) with his Soultimate attack, the twin dragon heads of his scarf blurring with a sudden burst of speed, seeming to multiply as vicious bites rained down on his unfortunate opponents.

From under him, Jibanyan sat on the ground, watching despondently as the ninja yo-kai roughly tied up the defeated colourless spirits and threw them onto the flying carpet that will take them to the prison with surprising ferocity. The bakeneko had been unusually quiet ever since they came back to the human world, and cool-headed Venoct was displaying a new white-hot anger that he released in the ferocity of his battles, usually causing the Yo-Kai to which it was directed to unnecessary pain. Then again, those two weren't the only ones in an odd mood.

Kyubi didn't flaunt or gloat nearly as often as before _(they were forced back-)_ , his battles ending quickly and quietly before returning to guide the inhabitants of his previous territory safely to their new assigned homes. Komasan had gone back to visit his mom on the countryside with Komajiro, but before leaving he had looked somewhat despondent, looking at the untouched ice-cream spire in his cone mournfully as Komajiro patted his back sympathetically _("I'm sure you'll see him again," the orange pup consoled even as he eyed the slowly melting treat worriedly)_. Hidabat had been unusually present in gathering information, digging out report after report on missing Yo-Kai that may have gone to McKrakken's side, therefore giving those contributing in the battles an idea on where to look while also managing her business at the same time, not a small feat. But she looked lost every time someone forced her to take a break, fluttering from one way to the other in search for the familiar nook of darkness that she no longer had _(it might have not been a mansion, but the closet was cosy and comfortable and the kindness of it's owner made it feel like a home-)._ Even Whisper himself had been somewhat quiet, instead of trying to bumble his way into convincing anyone that he didn't need his Yo-Kai Pad to provide him information _("It's just for reference!" "Whatever you say, Whisper")_ as usual.

For those Yo-Kai that didn't know them very well, there didn't seem to be much difference. Kyubi still occasionally preened, Venoct was a fierce a battler as ever, Hidabat was still quiet and reclusive, nothing in the world would make Jibanyan ever give up chocobars. But Whisper found himself eyeing the despondent cat out of the corner of his eye, and could see Venoct doing the same as he stood off to the side, eyes seemingly on the flying carpet drifting away with their captives, but actually observing the bakeneko quietly out from the corner of his eye.

It was an unspoken understanding between the Yo-Kai who had been there to see McKrakken fall. They all knew why they were acting weird, they knew all the others knew why they were acting weird, and they all decided to not acknowledge it. For most it was a matter of pride, for others it was the belief that it was all in their head.

After all, what Yo-Kai worth their salt would admit that a human child affected their behaviour so obviously?

The ex-butler shook his head and put his Yo-Kai Pad away as the flying carpet became nothing but a smudged fading dot in the horizon. Venoct started floating towards them, and Whisper nudged the feline not so gently to get the message across. Jibanyan stood up, ready to move even if the cat's eyes still seemed somewhat blank as they regrouped with the ninja and started walking. They were done with battling for the day. It was time to go share their progress with Kyubi back in town.

* * *

The trio quietly wound their way back down the long walkway from the Third Gate in the direction of the Entry Hall, having just came up from Hooligan Road _(they_ really _need a better system to arrive there rather than_ jumping off a cliff _)_ which unfortunately meant the journey back was going to take some time, specially with how busy everything was. The hustle and bustle of other Yo-Kai hurrying past gave them an excuse to not talk, dodging the harried bodies _(or heads, as Helmsman proved when he floated past, Armsman once again chasing after. There's a_ reason _why nobody bothered even_ trying _to understand Yo-Kai biology)_ of others who were out with the same objective of searching and containing the White Yo-kai still roaming about. Nate had befriended a surprisingly large number of Yo-Kai in the brief time he had possessed a Yo-Kai Watch _(how long ago was it since it had been forcibly returned? They measured the pass of time in their dimension in relation to the Human World, but since the portal closed it was more difficult to keep track of, seemingly stretching too long and going by too fast all at once-)_ but few stuck around for long after being summoned, as they had their own lives to attend to. However, Whisper was willing to bet that most if not all of them were helping with the White Extraction, as Babblong had jokingly dubbed their efforts to contain and rehabilitate those influenced by McKrakken's propaganda. The name had surprisingly (normally everyone just tuned the chatterbox out without listening to a single word) stuck.

They continued to move through the shifting crowd, the silence between them somewhat awkward as Jibanyan continued to move almost robotically ahead, eyes not quite focusing in what was in front of him. The ghost winced internally in sympathy. The bakeneko was a relatively new Yo-Kai, not having haunted the near-miss intersection for long before Nate found him, asides from being the first Yo-Kai Nate ever befriended. Hapierre and Dismarelda had been too caught up relishing the fact that they were no longer fighting with each other, so they had forgotten to give Nate their medals in the beginning. They passed by Nate's house a couple of days after meeting Jibanyan to drop them off with an apology for not remembering to thank him sooner.

But the point stands that Jibanyan was probably the closest Yo-Kai friend that Nate had, despite their continuous arguments, and was really affected by the abrupt separation from a friend whom he normally spent a great part of, if not all the day with. It could also be because now the cat wouldn't be able to search for Amy, his previous human owner, but as much as Jibanyan loved the girl Whisper honestly doubted that was what had the yo-kai acting so distant.

The crowd slowly gradually thinned as they passed the First Gate, Gargaros giving him and Jibanyan the evil eye even as he nodded at Venoct in respect, for the Ninja Yo-kai had become known for his battle prowess. Whisper floated ahead hurriedly. Facing the oni who had chased them through Springdale's streets in that twisted version of a daydream was something he could have honestly done without, which was one of the reasons why finally sighting the Entry Hall was a relief.

Of course, that's when everything went to hell on a happy little hand basket.

* * *

 **I know, I know. I'm horrible for leaving the ending open AGAIN, but you all have been waiting patiently for a new chapter and it's been FOUR MONTHS ALREADY. And I was left feeling super guilty every time a new email informed me that I had gotten a new review, or someone had added this to favourites, soooo I decide to get over myself and post THIS. We get to see what Nate's spiritual friends have been doing since they parted ways, and I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit like a filler. I wanted to have _things_ happen NOW, buuut I decided it was best to have it put on two different chapters. This way you have a new update sooner, and although I would have liked to be able to write a longer chapter (trust me, writing long chapters is a LOT harder than it seems) I can always add it later. I'll post an author's note at the beginning of next chapter if I end up doing that.**

 **Other than that I'm REALLY SORRY for taking so frickin' long to update! I just want to thank you all for your amazing reviews, I can't believe all the positive attention this story is receiving. You are amazing.**

 **Thanks for reading me ramble. MidnightStarHunter, out!**


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